NBA Power Rankings: The Clippers are back on track

NBA Power Rankings: The Clippers are back on track

30. Brooklyn Nets (8-32)

It's gone from bad to worse to a lot worse in Brooklyn, as the Nets have now lost 20 of their last 23 and have just one victory since Christmas. Losers in all four of their games this week, they allowed an average of 122.5 points and have given up 100 points or more in every game since Dec. 14. The Celtics have to be licking their chops at this point. When do the Nets lower their asking price for Brook Lopez to try and recoup some picks? (Last week: 30)

29. Miami Heat (11-30)

It's getting bleak in South Beach. They've lost 10 of their last 11 games, have five different stretches of three or more straight losses, and now get Houston and Golden State in two of their next four games. It's probably too soon to blow things up, but Goran Dragic could certainly be on his way out as Miami prepares for the rebuilding phase post-Wade. (Last week: 28)

28. Los Angeles Lakers (15-30)

There's so much young talent on this team, and now Brandon Ingram seems to be putting things together. In his last seven games the Duke product is averaging 12.0 points on 50 percent shooting, 4.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 30 minutes per game. Luke Walton continues to give him run, and he's making good on it. That being said, the Lakers have lost 20 of 25 games since that 10-10 start, and went 0-4 this past week. Maybe they'll keep their first-round pick after all. (Last week: 23)

27. Dallas Mavericks (13-27)

In what's been a lost year - and obviously a disappointing one for him - Dirk Nowitzki put together his best stretch of basketball this past week, averaging 20.3 points on 49 percent shooting and 5.7 rebounds. Perhaps not coincidentally, the Mavericks won two of those games; it was their first winning streak since two days before Christmas. The Mavs aren't going anywhere, but Nowitzki being back is always fun to watch. (Last week: 27)

26. Minnesota Timberwolves (14-27)

A really good week could have been a great one had Thibs' group not lost to the Mavericks on Sunday night. Still, this was a big step for this young team after picking up wins over the Mavs. Rockets and Thunder at home. The three-game winning streak followed a four-game losing streak, and while it probably won't last the Timberwolves are just 3.5 games out of the last playoff spot in the West. (Last week: 29)

25. Philadelphia 76ers (12-26)

You don't need to adjust your screen. The Philadelphia 76ers are higher in these power rankings than five different teams. After an impressive 2-1 week the Sixers have now won five of seven (seriously) and could get first overall pick Ben Simmons back at the end of the month. And while it's getting repetitive, we have to continue mentioning Joel Embiid here. In this seven-game stretch for Philly, he's averaging 22.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.2 blocks in just 27 minutes per game. He's absurd. (Last week: 26)

24. New Orleans Pelicans (16-25)

True, it came against the Knicks and Nets, but consecutive road victories is worth mentioning because it's kept the Pellies in contention for the last playoff spot in the West. The competition gets difficult toward the end of the month, but they will play six of their next seven at home. As long as Anthony Davis is standing upright, they'll have a chance. Jrue Holiday and Buddy Hield are also continuing to form a solid 1-2 backcourt punch. (Last week: 24)

23. Phoenix Suns (13-27)

Is Devin Booker making the jump? Maybe it's too early to start that talk, but the 20-year-old has been remarkable in his last five games (of which the Suns are 3-2). He's averaging 31.0 points on 55 percent shooting (and 61 percent from deep) including a 39-point effort in a win over the Spurs in Mexico City. Phoenix still has the West's worst record, but that shouldn't last long if Booker continues to shoot the lights out. (Last week: 24)

22. Orlando Magic (17-25)

There's not a ton to get excited about in Orlando these days, although the Magic did pick up a victory this past week in Portland. One bright spot in an otherwise dull year has been Elfrid Payton, who scored a career-high 28 points and handed out nine assists on Saturday in a tough road matchup against Utah. There's still hope that he could be the future at the point for the Magic, although he'll need to show much more consistency to make that happen. That's something to watch in the season's second half. (Last week: 20)

21. New York Knicks (18-23)

It's probably not time to blow up this Knicks roster, but it's closer to that than it is to consider them contending anytime soon. A Thursday win over the Bulls was nice (although the Bulls were severely shorthanded) but the reality is they've still lost 12 of their last 12 and don't have any reinforcements coming. This is what Jeff Hornacek has to work with, and it's an iso-heavy offense, poor defense and small interior. Beginning the week with Atlanta and Boston means it's about to get worse. (Last week: 19)

20. Detroit Pistons (19-24)

All things considered, the Pistons will take a 2-3 road trip, with losses coming to the Kings, Warriors and Jazz. They're beginning to show signs of life, as the defense has bumped all the way up to No. 11 in the league. True, the offense needs plenty of work (No. 23 in efficiency), but it's easier to get that going than it is to make consistent stops. Stan Van Gundy's group is still very much in the thick of things in the bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff hunt. (Last week: 17)

19. Denver Nuggets (15-23)

The Nuggets only played one game this week - in London - but it was such an impressive showing that we're bumping them three spots in the rankings. Posting 140 points on a Pacers team that had won five straight was impressive stuff, and now the No. 9 seed in the West gets five games this week, with three against teams below .500. This sure looks like a playoff team when everything is clicking. (Last week: 22)

18. Portland Trail Blazers (18-24)

Two wins this week - including a thrashing of the Cavaliers - may prove to be fool's gold. For one, the Blazers followed up that win win an ugly home loss to the Magic. And to finish this month they'll play six of eight games against teams with winning records. That they kept the Cavaliers to just 86 points is a minor miracle, because the defense is far from fixed. Their only hope is for more continued production from their backcourt and for opponents to have off-nights shooting. (Last week: 21)

17. Sacramento Kings (16-24)

Losers in seven of nine, things are trending downward for Boogie and the Kings. Their last four losses have come to legitimate contenders (LAC, GS, CLE, OKC) but they're about to head out on an eight-game road trip to end the month, and five of those games will come against +.500 teams. If they can head into February within shouting distance of their current No. 8 spot in the playoffs, maybe they can pull this thing off. But they'll need to play better. (Last week: 18)

16. Chicago Bulls (21-21)

As always, it remains difficult to get a read on these Bulls. They had a rare five-game week, and began it with three losses to the Thunder, Wizards and Knicks. But wins over the Pelicans and Grizzlies have them back to .500, and they should get healthier after the flu/strep throat ran through the team. (Last week: 16)

15. Indiana Pacers (20-19)

Oof. Just one game this past week for the Pacers, and they got smashed by the Nuggets. On the same day Paul George debuted his first signature sneaker, he struggled with 10 points on 2-for-12 shooting in the loss. Six of their next seven games come against opponents with losing records, so there's room for them to make up ground in the standings and distance themselves from the mess that is the bottom of the East playoff picture. (Last week: 13)

14. Charlotte Hornets (20-20)

It's officially time to start worrying about the Hornets. Since they beat the Bulls on Dec. 23, Steve Clifford's group has gone 3-7 and fallen all the way down to .500 for the first time all year. Six of their next eight are at home, but their schedule includes Boston, Toronto and Golden State. We'll know more about how good this team is or isn't in the next few weeks. (Last week: 12)

13. Washington Wizards (20-19)

12. Milwaukee Bucks (20-19)

Beating the Spurs in San Antonio without Giannis Antetokounmpo proved that this team is much more than the Greek Freak. If they ever put it all together - and maybe they will when Khris Middleton returns - they're going to be a very difficult out in the first round of the playoffs. (Last week: 14)

11. Atlanta Hawks (23-17)

This could be the hottest team in the East right now, having won nine of 10. After trade rumors involving Paul Millsap and Tim Hardaway Jr., they look ready to break through and earn homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs. (Last week: 11)

10. Oklahoma City Thunder (25-17)

Russ and the boys are back on track after losing four of five, responding with wins in four of five. We could go deep on analytics, talk about an X-factor or break down the schedule. Instead, we'll just give you your weekly Russell Westbrook update: Four games, 25.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, 12.0 assists, 2.3 steals, three more triple-doubles. Yeah. (Last week: 9)

9. Memphis Grizzlies (25-18)

It's tough to get a guage on these Grizzlies, who sandwiched an impressive road win over the Rockets with losses to the Thunder and Bulls. That's steep competition, but they were considerable favorites at home against the Bulls and looked lost, while the offense struggled against Russ and the Thunder. Still, this is a team that in January alone has wins over the Wwarriors, Jazz and Houston. They can compete with any team in the league. (Last week: 6)

8. Utah Jazz (26-16)

After losing three in four the Jazz responded with one of their more impressive weeks of the season. It started with a win over the healthy Cavs, followed by a blowout win over the Pistons and a come-from-behind victory over the Magic. They also dodged a bullet with Rodney Hood, who suffered a bone bruise in his knee. It looked far worse than that when he initially went down on Saturday. (Last week: 10)

7. Boston Celtics (25-15)

Since Christmas Day the Celtics' only losses have come on the road against Cleveland and Toronto. They're 8-0 in all other games, including an impressive road win against the Hawks on Friday night. Isaiah Thomas hasn't slowed down one bit, and with Avery Bradley out this past week he averaged 31.0 points and 7.0 assists. Bradley is expected back this week, and the C's will play nine of their next 11 at home as they chase the Raptors in the East. (Last week: 5)

6. Toronto Raptors (27-13)

With the Celtics nipping at their heels for second in the East, the Raptors used 41 points from DeMar DeRozan to edge Boston on Tuesday night. It ended the C's four-game winning streak and began what would be a 3-0 week for Dwane Casey's group. DeRozan was a monster all week, averaging 30.7 points on 52 percent shooting, plus 7.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists in just 32 minutes. He even added his 14th 3-pointer of the year. (Last week: 7)

5. LA Clippers (28-14)

The right way to avenge a six-game losing streak is to reel off six straight wins. That's what Doc Rivers' group has done the past two weeks, and it's got them back within shouting distance of the top three seeds in the West. Chris Paul has been exceptional since returning, and DeAndre Jordan is averaging 14.7 points on 73 percent shooting, 18.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in his last six games. Ten of their next 13 games come on the road, so getting Blake Griffin back sooner than later will be important. (Last week: 8)

4. San Antonio Spurs (31-9)

It's never time to panic when you've got Gregg Popovich as your head coach and a healthy Kawhi Leonard. But the Spurs are certainly hoping to put this past week behind them as quickly as possible. A home loss to the Greek Freak-less Bucks and a loss to the Suns in Mexico City halted what had been a really impressive stretch that had them closing in on the Warriors. One bright spot was Kawhi Leonard, who scored 30+ points in all three games this week. There's little doubt he's the best two-way player in the league. (Last week: 2)

3. Cleveland Cavaliers (29-10)

Losses to the Jazz and Blazers as part of their West Coast trip were ugly, but the big story came Friday night when Kyle Korver scored 18 points (including four triples) in the Cavs' win over the Kings. With JR Smith sidelined indefinitely, Korver has important shoes to fill as the spot-up shooter on the wing in this offense. He's more than capable of doing it, and he'll be called upon in a big way on Monday when the Cavs finish their trip in Golden State against the Warriors. (Last week: 1)

2. Houston Rockets (32-11)

No, it wasn't a great week for the Rockets. Losses at Minneosta and against the Grizzlies halted a nine-game winning streak. But don't confuse those hiccups with this team regressing much. James Harden responded Sunday night with another mosnter triple-double against the Nets in a 137-112 victory. Despite the pair of losses, Houston is just one-half game behind the Spurs for second in the West. (Last week: 3)

1. Golden State Warriors (34-6)

All the talk this season has rightfully been on newcomer Kevin Durant, who isn't receiving as much MVP consideration as he probably deserves. But let's not forget about Steph Curry - the guy who won the award each of the last two seasons - who is really starting to heat up. In three wins this week Curry averaged 26.0 points and 7.0 assists, and those numbers came after he tossed up 35 and 40 points to end the previous week. KD is playing out of his mind, but Curry is still what makes the Warriors go. (Last week: 4)